The present invention is directed to a walking aid for use while playing billiards, or working at a workbench, or working at a kitchen counter.
“Walkers” have been designed for two basic classes of individuals. The first class includes: baby walkers for toddlers learning to walk; and assisted aid walkers for disabled or aged individuals. The second class includes: therapeutic and rehabilitative walkers for injured or disabled individuals.
Regardless of which class of walker, these walkers generally have been built along two design approaches. A first design approach requires the individual to sit in a seated position and then either move the walker-device in a shuffling motion, or raise himself up to a standing position to walk within the perimeter of the walker by grasping a member of the walker structure for support and to control the direction and movement of the walker.
A second design approach provides a walker with a support perimeter. This type of device can include wheels at the bottom of its legs or not. It also can include a superstructure extending above the individual. Included in this design approach are walkers which cage-in the individual and support the individual's entire weight with a harness or other means.
Unless the walker has a harness, the individual is required to grasp some portion of the walker when moving about in order to keep control of the walker. If the walker has a rigid seat, or a non-rigid full seat, the individual is required to sit in a seated position and shuffle his feet/foot to move the walker structure.
Walker manufacturers have previously designed walkers for sufficiently unstable individuals, each prior art walker has required four legs for stability regardless of whether they include wheels or not. Moreover, these prior art walkers place significant structure extending in front of the individual. This front structure precludes an individual from being able to get very close to a device, such as a pool table, a work bench, or a kitchen counter. For those devices which enable an individual to stand and walk freely, the individual is required to grasp the walker to control its movement. This keeps the individual's hands occupied and precludes other hand activities while moving the walker.
Sherlock, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,851, discloses an example of a walker with operational limitations which the present invention overcomes. Sherlock includes a rigid circular rim/ring which surrounds an individual. The rim has an arc section which is pivoted and pinned to be opened for an individual to enter the ring. When the Sherlock full flexible seat is attached to four predetermined positions on the ring, an individual is required to sit in a seated position and shuffle the walker about. To stand upright within the Sherlock walker, the seat must be repositioned into a folded hanging position to clear the ring area. The ring is padded for comfort when an individual grasps it. An individual in the standing position, with the seat folded away, grasps the rim to control the movement of the Sherlock wheeled walker. The Sherlock walker with its fixed size ring, its wheeled support legs and its brace members limits a walking individual's stride and ability to freely change direction of travel.
An objective of the present invention is to provide an activity walker which permits an individual to walk and move the walker about without hand-grasping a portion of the walker's structure.
Another objective is that this activity walker has minimal structure in front of an individual using it.
A further objective is that this activity walker is adjustable in height, the lateral extension of its legs, and the size of a support member which surrounds the trunk portion of an individual.
An additional objective is that this activity walker supports the trunk portion of an individual while the individual is in a standing position or while walking.
An also further objective is that this activity walker's trunk support member permits upright walking with minimal interference with a normal stride.